In general, conventional gaming machine networks typically include a central system operatively connected to one or more individual gaming machines via intermediate communication site controllers. Although the gaming machines communicate with the central system, each gaming machine or site controller contains a central chipset which locally stores the computer code to be is executed by the device to perform gaming related functions. These chipsets typically consist of electronic programmable read only memory (EPROM) which permanently store the computer code. EPROM chipsets are conventionally preferred because the electronic memory can be controlled in a secured manner without giving unauthorized access to the gaming machine code. For example, in the event the computer code needs to be upgraded, service personnel are required to manually change the chipset for each gaming machine and/or site controller.
Because a service technician must perform the same operation for each machine or controller, the current method of upgrading gaming machine/site controller or PC software typically takes a long time to accomplish at a substantial cost, including the cost of the technician time and the cost of a new chipset for each machine.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system which can upgrade computer code within a networked device without requiring a manual change in the device components or requiring a high cost of implementation.